A true team display: Unselfish Boston Celtics assert themselves at the top in triumph over 76ers

Was Wednesday’s 106-99 short-handed win the best of the season? If the Boston Celtics faithful were told that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were going to combine for 16 points before the game, they would have thought to chalk it up for a loss. Given the amount of belief, and depth this ball club has, Boston should never be counted out.

The Celtics were without Marcus Smart, Al Horford, Robert Williams III, and Brown, who had to leave the game with a facial contusion at the half. It was not about who the Cs were missing, it was about who they had on the floor. Next man up mentality. That is a phrase that has and will continue to define this team as the season rolls on. There are no egos, or drama, just really good team basketball on both ends of the floor.

It took an entire team effort to slow down Joel Embiid with Boston’s two best frontcourt players absent. From Grant Williams being physical with the 28-year-old to Luke Kornet stepping up 29 minutes off the bench, the Boston Celtics sent a message to Embiid ahead of the All-Star break. It was the second time the Cs held the MVP candidate under 30 points this season.

Whether it was Blake Griffin knocking down open shots or Derrick White coming up big on the defensive end, everyone played their part in a win that has to send shockwaves across the rest of the league. Tatum never forced the issue, making the right plays at the right time. It was the tenth time since he began his career in 2017 that he concluded a game with nine or more assists.

Blake Griffin expressing the ability of the bench to step up on any given night for Boston Celtics

He trusted his teammates, which went a long way to propel Boston to a victory. When many thought the C’s had hit a lull following four straight losses, this group came together. Nobody scored over 20 points for Boston against a talented Sixers team, but six players finished in double figures, nullifying the 54 points that Embiid and James Harden managed to accumulate.

Five different players knocked down three or more shots from behind the arc to help Boston finish with its highest three-point shooting percentage in a game this season. Brown’s injury news postgame may put a damper on the display, but this game was simply another example of what this team is capable of with many of its key contributors sidelined. It is one of those games where the box score raises the eyebrows. Williams, and Griffin really did combine for nine threes, while Sam Hauser went 5-6 from the field on top of collecting eight rebounds in the process.

With Philadelphia down by just three points with under 3:30 to play, Boston was on the verge of letting this game slip away. Instead, the C’s most undervalued asset, White scored and assisted on two of Boston’s final three baskets to send the 76ers on their way back to Wells Fargo Center. Philadelphia scored just 20 points in the fourth quarter with the Boston Celtics rotated, and helping to perfection on the defensive end. As a whole, the 76ers did not shoot the ball well throughout the game, but that is a credit to the collectiveness, and hustle that Boston’s half court defense defined through those 48 minutes.

The unselfishness from Jayson Tatum leads to a highlight for Luke Kornet

It was the lowest point total that a Celtics leading scorer had finished with all season. This game had a 76ers win written all over it. Gone are the days in the C’s organization where the regular season doesn’t matter. These are the games that are going to get this ball club to where it wants to be. Boston had every excuse in the book to lose this game. From top to bottom, the Celtics have been all business this season after an NBA Finals appearance. Getting back to the pinnacle is the most difficult part, and this well-constructed group knows that.

Tatum’s growth is something to continue to marvel at. Just 12 points for the former No. 3 selection. The All-Star starter still managed to put his imprint on the game with his vision, and length on the defensive end. The 24-year-old is not aiming for any individual award at the end of the season with the main target of revenge in June. Boston still has four games left before the break arrives, but this must give a group like this a massive boost of confidence.

The 76ers had been waiting for their next shot at Boston following their loss to open up the season, and they will have to wait another few weeks to get a shot at Mazzulla’s men once again. The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. This ball club is not just seven or eight deep, they have the bodies to fill in the cracks when even four of its regular starters are missing from action.